QMI Agency

Tommy Ramone, the last surviving member of the legendary punk band The Ramones, has died at 65.

“We are saddened to announce the passing of Tommy Ramone, the original drummer for the Ramones, earlier today,” the band said in a statement on Facebook.

Born Erdelyi Tamas, in Budapest, Hungary, the founding drummer of the band co-produced their first three albums (Ramones- 1976, Leave Home- 1977, and Road to Ruin- 1978).

Tommy passed away late on Friday night in his home in Queens, New York, where he was being held in hospice care, being treated for bile-duct cancer, according to Variety.

“It wasn’t just music in The Ramones; it was an idea. It was bringing back a whole feeling that was missing in rock music- it was a whole push outwards to say something new and different. Originally it was just an artistic type of thing; finally I felt it was something that was good enough for everybody,” Tommy Ramone was quoted in an interview from 1978 in the Facebook post.

Tommy was supposed to be The Ramones manager, but instead took over on drums when Joey Ramone became lead singer. He played in the band from 1974 to 1978, and was replaced by Marky Ramone.

He was preceded by his other band members Joey (2001), Dee Dee (2002), and Johnny (2004).